A/N This is a larger chapter than usual, but as it's the final, I think it reads better in one hit. Let me know what you think. Was that shocking first chapter justified after all?

Chapter four: There's nothing so good as a decent pair of stilettos.

Diane put down the phone and signalled for Will to join her in her office. "There's going to be a run on the stock," she reported. "It seems the investors aren't too happy about the prospect of Miss Swift taking a seat in the boardroom. The company could be wiped out."

"So, we have less than two days before the market re-opens," Will said.

"What can we do?"

"I don't know, but we need to think of something." Will answered his phone. "Yes Cary. Really? Okay. Stay on it." Will turned back to Diane. "It appears our dead power man deliberately sabotaged the grid. Twenty thousand dollars was paid into his account yesterday morning. Cary's following the money."

"Good. Look, why don't I call David Lee? He can have a talk to Miss – Mrs. Sweeney."

"Okay. Let's hope he can talk some sense into her."

"Miss True has been telling me about her film career," Alicia said, when Will joined them in his office.

"Not exactly mainstream you understand," Miss True said modestly.

"So," Will began, "you were the recipient of an email from Mrs. Sweeney, in which she suggested she might kill her husband."

"I didn't know they were married. But yes, that's right. I had to come forward as soon as I heard the news. I'll get the blame for this I just know it."

"Why would you be a suspect Miss True?" Alicia asked.

"Because I was there, yesterday at Mr. Sweeney's apartment." Alicia's eyes widened. "I've got priors," Miss True went on. "My dabs will be all over the joint."

"Can you tell us what time you arrived and what time you left?" Will asked.

"I was there from two until four, give or take a minute or two."

"Was anyone else present during the time you were there?"

"No."

"And do you mind telling us why you were there?" Will continued.

"As a client. Mr. Sweeney had specific tastes."

"Specific?" Will said.

"He liked to play games."
"Games involving guns?" Will suggested.

"No! That's why I came forward, to clear myself. I didn't kill him. He was very much alive when I left the apartment."

"Was it Mr. Sweeney who hired you?" Alicia asked.

"Actually no. Isobel set it up. Can you please act on my behalf?"

"We'll have to see," Will said. "In the meantime you need to volunteer a statement to the police. I'll have someone take you down. This just gets better and better," Will said, when Miss True had departed.

"So where were you yesterday afternoon?" Alicia enquired. "Diane said she couldn't reach you."

Will's face reddened. "I was arrested," he confessed, "and thrown into a Cook County jail. It was stupid. I was with the bar crowd, a little too much wine for lunch, some cowboy took offence at something I said, he threw a punch, I threw a punch. No charges were laid, but it was embarrassing, to say the least. Just between us okay?"

Alicia was strangely relieved. For some reason she'd imagined Will in bed with the frightful Isobel Swift. Her phone once more interrupted her thoughts. "Oh Zach," she said. "I'm sorry. Are you guys okay?"

"Just wanted to keep you up to speed Mom. Dad had to work yesterday, so Grandma picked us up. We're at her place."

Alicia was thoughtful. "I have to go out," she told Will.

Alicia steered the car through the downtown traffic, unaware that she was being followed. Kalinda kept Alicia's car in sight; fully aware that she was being followed herself, by Detective Anthony Burton. Alicia parked on the street outside the hotel and made her way up the stairs to room 301. The man who answered the door, was tall, dark and thick set. He was wearing only a bathrobe and his hair was wet as though he'd just come out of the shower.

"Come in and close the door," he said, grabbing Alicia's arm.

"What do you want, Mr -?"

"Smith. I want a hundred grand. It's what that bitch promised me and I aim to collect."

"You mean Miss Swift?" Alicia surmised.

"She didn't leave her card. All I know is the bitch reneged on the deal. So you want the disc, you get me the money."

"I'll need some time," Alicia stalled.

Smith looked doubtful. "How much time?"

"Two days," she answered without thinking.

"You know something," he said, grinning suddenly. "I took a look at that disc and it really put the hook in me. Maybe I'll just take something on account." Smith put his hands on Alicia's hips and pressed his body against her.

Kalinda waited for Burton to pull up. "Come on!" she said. "Let's move!"

"What the hell are you talking about Kalinda?" Burton demanded.

"Follow me," she instructed.

Burton banged on the door of room 301. "Police! Open up!"

"Shoot the lock!" Kalinda ordered him. Burton fired and then pushed in the door with the sole of his boot.

"Drop it," Smith said, gripping Alicia's arm and holding a gun to her head. Alicia raised her leg and brought down the stiletto heel of her shoe hard against Smith's bare foot. Smith yelled out in pain and released his hold. Alicia stepped aside. Burton fired three shots. Smith fell into a pool of blood.

"Oh my God!" Alicia cried, making for the door. Burton put away the gun and pulled out his phone. While Burton was busy calling it in, Kalinda opened the table drawer beside the bed. She found the disc and put it into her into her pocket.

"Jesus Kalinda," Burton exclaimed, when he turned around. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"His wallet," she said, brandishing the item. "Don't you wanna know who he was?"

Burton took it. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" he demanded, as Kalinda made for the exit.

"Mrs. Florrick and I were never here," she said. "You got that?"

"No way," he replied.

"You're still on the books with IAD Tony. Want me to tell them what I know?" Burton said nothing. "Thought not," she said.

"We're going back to the office," Kalinda told Alicia. "But first we need to stop off at your place. You need a change of clothes." Alicia looked down at the sleeve of her bloodstained jacket. "And don't worry," Kalinda said, noting the look of horror and bemusement on Alicia's face. "It's just another one of our secrets."

Back at the office, Will was in conference with Diane, while David Lee was with Isobel Sweeney. When Alicia was summoned to Diane's office, she expected the worst. "Alicia," Will began. "The police have been on. Why didn't you tell us you had a meet yesterday with Sweeney?"

"Mr. Sweeney told me not to say anything."

Diane was vexed. "Your pulling attorney client privilege with our own client?" she said.

"It was a personal matter," Alicia declared.

Will and Diane exchanged glances. "Well you can tell us now can't you?" Will said.

Alicia was so tired of lying. "I'd rather not," she said simply.

Cary's entrance rescued her from further interrogation. "The money paid to the power worker was transferred from an account in the Caymans," he reported. "The trail's cold."

"That's it?" Will said.

Cary shrugged. "Afraid so."

Alicia retreated to her office and was soon joined by Kalinda, who threw down the disc on the desktop. "It isn't you in the film," she stated. "It's Miss True."

Alicia was almost past caring. "How did you know about the disc?" she said.

"Miss True of course. I got all the sordid details. When she arrived at Sweeney's he got her to dress into your clothes. Then later he doctored the film. He digitally grafted your face into some of the scenes; enough to convince you it was you he was screwing. He showed you the film didn't he? That was why the TV was on."

"Are you sure?" Alicia said.

"Didn't you notice her hair when she came in today? It's been cut exactly like yours. Alicia," Kalinda said earnestly. "He didn't rape you."

"You're forgetting the fact that I woke up naked in his bed," Alicia declared in a low voice.

"It was all part of the act," Kalinda insisted. "Sweeney was an asshole, but he was no rapist."

Alicia realised now how much it made sense. She was still drowsy from the drugged tea when she'd viewed the tape, and besides why did she ever believe she could have behaved like that, drugged or not? Because ultimately, she had behaved like that. Sweeney had played his salacious game with her, and he'd won.

"He was toying with you," said Kalinda.

"And his new wife was toying with him," Alicia said ruefully.

"Yes,' Kalinda agreed. "She thought she'd put you in the frame, but she didn't count on you being twenty minutes late for the meeting, or that Miss True would come forward."

Alicia was perplexed. "Why did Miss True come forward?" she asked.

"Because," Kalinda explained, "I persuaded her to."

When Isobel Swift left David Lee's office, Alicia caught up with her. "Mrs. Florrick," Isobel said. "It seems Colin had the last laugh after all."

"Meaning?"

"You'll find out."

"Why me?" Alicia said.

"Colin liked to say everyone has a dark side. He wanted to see yours. He wanted to see how you'd react. See what you'd do if you thought he'd – well that was then."

"And the frame?" Alicia demanded.

Isobel was disingenuous. "Frame?" she said.

"Why do you hate me?" Alicia asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Goodbye Mrs. Florrick," Isobel said. "And please, give my regards to your husband."

Alicia was summoned to join Will and David Lee in Diane's office. "So," Lee began. "Do you want the good news or the good news?"

"David?" said Diane.

"She's not Mrs. Sweeney," Lee said. "I checked. The minister who performed the ceremony in Hawaii was not registered with the department of health, making the so-called marriage, null and void."

"But she's still his common law wife," Alicia said.

"She never gave up her apartment," Lee said. "As far as the law's concerned, they weren't even an item."

"Then we're off the hook," Will said, exchanging smiles with Diane.

"Contrary to popular belief however," Lee pontificated, "Mr. Sweeney did leave us his last will and testament."
"And?" said Diane, looking worried.

"Just as we expected," Lee said. "Everything goes to the boy, or at least, almost everything. Miss Swift is provided for, so long as she is fulfilling her maternal duties."

"So," Will said. "Business as usual. We'd better start calling the investors."

"However," Lee continued. "There is just one more, small thing. Sweeney has bequeathed the sum of one million dollars to a certain Mrs. Alicia Florrick." A heavy silence descended on the room. All eyes turned to Alicia.

Kalinda popped her head around the door. "Thought you should know," she said. "Miss Swift's off the hook. Her alibi called the PD. Did you get that?" she asked when there was no response.

Diane was the first to recover. "Yes Kalinda. Thank you."

"The cops say they found the murderer," Kalinda added. "They killed him in a shootout downtown this morning."

"Do we know who the alibi was?" Will asked.

"Confidential," Kalinda replied. "Must be someone high up the food chain. PD were ordered to cease any and all investigations into Miss Swift."

Alicia took the opportunity to make her exit. She found Cary in his office.

"Is that office space you were looking at still available?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied, "but it's way out of our league."

"Tell them we'll take it," she said.

When Alicia arrived at Jackie's, Peter was there. "Hey," he said. "Sorry about yesterday. It was crazy at work." She knew by now when he was hiding something, she'd learned to read the signs. "I've told the kids we're gonna make it up to them," he said. "I've got us all tickets for the game."

Alicia felt strangely elated. The last thirty-six hours had been astonishing. She had felt every possible emotion, from cringing fear to psychotic rage. Kalinda was right. She'd done nothing wrong. There was nothing to be ashamed of. "I think I'll pass on the game," she said pulling out her phone. "Kalinda?" she said. "How about you and I go out on the town? What? Yes of course. I'll wear the stilettos."